Friends

It is a beautiful and thankfully cool morning in Charleston and I am so thankful.   I don't like this time of year with warm, muggy, close to 80 degree weather, not during the holidays.   Since I last wrote we had Christmas, and despite it being different than any Christmas in my life, it was blessed and I did enjoy being with my friends and family.   This is the first year without my grandfather who recently passed away, the first year without my parents (visiting in AL), and the first year to have a house full for Christmas dinner.   Despite our small house, we had thirteen adults/teenagers and we had a wonderful meal and a great time of fellowship.   It was never in my plan to have dinner for so many, thinking with my parents gone it would just be our little family, but God had other plans, and it was a blessing.   Those friends are most like family and it made the absence of my grandfather and parents much easier.  It was joyful and fun and I am thankful for God's provision of friends, especially those friends who are like your family.  

Tis the Season

Well, the countdown to Christmas is in full swing at the Braun household.  Everyone has seemed to catch that Christmas "spirit" and are being especially joyful and kind.   Our precious Mr. Buff got a visit to the vet and a good grooming today.  He is looking especially cute with his Santa bandana, all ready for the upcoming holiday.  Our Christmas celebration begin Monday night when we had dinner and presents with my in-laws.  Their house was especially beautiful with decorations and we had a great time.   Mr. Buff received a great gift, a laughing dog that rolls around the floor.  Mr. Buff is quite taken with this little fellow and wines to find him when he is out of sight.  It is quite funny to watch the two of them together.   Tonight our festivities continued with dinner and presents at my house with my parents and grandmother.   They will be celebrating with my brother on Sunday.   It is bitter sweet not to be with them on Christmas day, but we had a wonderful time tonight.   I am hopeful the rest of my week will be a time to enjoy getting ready for Christmas.  I haven't had time to bake yet, so I am hopeful tomorrow will find me doing that, cleaning up my house, and I am especially looking forward to our church's Christmas Eve service.   It is a wonderful family event.  

Hopefully I can get Hannah to help me upload some photos of the happenings this week to share.  

Till later,

Debra

Christmas Spirit

It has been about a week since I posted last, not surprising as I have had a busy week with school, work, and trying to get myself in the "Christmas spirit."   Earlier last week I spent most of my time getting things together for Hannah's transcript.   I managed to finish up 9th grade year and most of 10th.   Organization is something I long for but never quite achieve and the boxes and boxes of papers/books/notebooks was just another indication of well laid plans that never seemed to take flight.   I don't know if it is because of the loss of my grandfather, the impending graduation of my oldest and only daughter, but I seem to have lost my "Christmas Spirit" this year.   On Saturday I had the privilege of accompanying a group of teenagers and parents to work the Convoy of Hope in our community.   I'll have to admit that at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday morning I had to drag myself out of bed.  I really had to pray about my attitude, but once we arrived and started serving, I realized just how wonderful that experience is.   I wrapped what seemed like 3000 hot dogs, literally, and I don't think I want to see another hot dog for a long time, but it was great to serve the community to share food with them and give them a smile of encouragement.   It was great to be a part of a ministry that brings the HOPE of Jesus to the community.  It was good for me to get out of feeling sorry for myself and focus on others.   Then, on Sunday, guess what my Kick lesson was on????  JOY.  How do I share the JOY when I am less than joyful??  As usual, God graciously worked.   I realized that the joy that I have is not from what material things I have or the people God has placed in my life but from the fact that Jesus came first as my savior and will come again as my king.  For the rest of this Christmas season I want to keep forefront in my mind that my JOYFUL spirit comes from God gracious gift of Jesus and the salvation that He brought to this world.  My hope is that you all will be filled with this JOY and Christmas Spirit as well. 

Joy

Tis the season for Joy, "Joy to the World" always comes to mind when I think of Christmas and the precious gift of Jesus.   At our house we try to focus on Jesus at Christmas but you can't help get excited when you see little ones at Christmas.   We had a great experience last night to kick off our season of celebration at our church.   Hannah and John Henry participated in the Metro North Dance Christmas Program.  It was beautiful and all the dancers were outstanding.    Over the summer our youth group had the opportunity to meet each week before their youth meeting to learn dancing, have dinner, and a devotion.   They learned the waltz and the jitterbug.   Carole, our pastor's wife and Metro Dance Director, included the youth in the dance companies' Christmas fund raiser.   I've included a couple of pictures of Hannah and John Henry with their partners.   It was a great way to start our celebration focusing on God's precious gift of Jesus. 

HOPE and THANKSGIVING

This Sunday at church I have been asked to work in our children's ministry to fill for a teacher out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday.   Our lesson this week is on Hope.   I generally haven't spent much time thinking about the word hope or for that matter what hope really means.  I've seen billboards all around town recently with the word HOPE spelled out.  How many times do I say,  "I hope the weather will be nice tomorrow, I hope my children will get their schoolwork done, I hope that this year will be easier financially for our family," these are all things I "hope for."    I find that I need hope. Hope to me is often a kissing cousin to worry.   I hope something will turn out this way or that, but am I really worrying that the outcome I want to happen is disguised as hope???  

In Romans 8:24 - 25 and 28 the Bible says, "We were saved with this hope in mind.  If we hope for something we already seen, it's not really hope.  Who hopes for what can be seen?  But if we hope for what we don't see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance....We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God -- those whom he has called according to his plan."  I found comfort in these verses this week as we buried my grandfather of 97 years.  I had hoped he might live to be 100 but that was not what God had for him.  I have hope of the promise that I will see my grandfather again because of Jesus' death on the cross and the promise of salvation and eternal life.   I can have hope because I have Jesus.  My grandfather had hope despite his circumstances because he knew Jesus.  Jesus has given us his Holy Spirit which is a reason for continued hope as we experience his presence in our lives today and also in the future.    I am so thankful that I had this lesson on HOPE this week to study.   I had been so discouraged and didn't realize just how hard it was going to be to say goodbye to my grandfather, but God showed me that I can persevere and He is with me.   Thanksgiving will now be a time of HOPE for me as I look back at God's faithfulness to my family and to me this year.

What a Change a Week can Make!

It has been a little over a week since I last posted and what a week it has been.  Our usual busyness of school, work, and home had a differnt turn this week.   Last Sunday my grandfather (age 97) was taken to the ER with a possible infection.  For weeks now he has not been acting like himself and we had noticed subtle changes in his behavior and felt like his health was in decline.   From last Sunday until yesterday he continued his downward decline and in the wee hours of the morning on November 19th the Lord called him home.   To say we are sad is an understatement, but not sad for him but for ourselves who are left behind.   I can't begin to recount all the ways God has lifted up our family and held us this week, HIS GRACE has abounded.   God has shown himself to my father during this process so abundently and allowed him to move towards acceptance of loosing his best friend, his father.  

I have spent hours recounting sweet memories over the past couple of days and the next few days will be filled with family, friends, memories, and ultimately our final goodbye to a man who lived to take care of his family and his most loved wife of over 70 years.   I was truly blessed to be part of his family and to see his faith in God for the past 97 years.   I love you grandaddy and you will be missed.  I await the day I can see you again!

Doing the "RIGHT" Thing

My mother used to always say to me, "evil flourishes when good men stand by and do nothing."   The past few days I have continued to think this thought so many times, whether I am watching the news or dealing with situations within my own circle of life.  But, how hard is it to really do the right thing?  How do I equip my children with the ability to stand up and do the right thing no matter the costs????  We all hope when faced with adversity that we would know what do and have the courage to do what was required despite our very desperate need of self preservation or even just the easy convenience of not getting involved.     I have discovered this week that doing the right thing is possible if we are leaning on our Heavenly Father.   I have a devotion book I read every morning before I start my day.  My mother-in-law gave it to me last year and I am almost at the end, but it has been such an encouragement to me.   It is written by Sarah Young, a missionary, and is called Jesus Calling.  It is a years worth of excerpts from her personal prayer journal and is well worth the purchase.  I can't tell you how many times something I have read fits perfectly with a circumstance or situation I am currently involved in.    I was behind a day, and not wanting to miss out on any little nuggets of truth and encouragement I started today reading November 11th entry.   Here is it.

"Do not let any set of circumstances intimidate you.  The more challenging your day, the more of My Power I place at your disposal.  You seem to think that I empower you equally each day, but this is not so.  Your tendency upon awakening is to assess the difficulties ahead of you, measuring them against your average strength.  This is an exercise in unreality.

I know what each of your days will contain, and I empower you accordingly.  The degree to which I strengthen you on a given day is based mainly on two variables:  the difficulty of your circumstances, and your willingness to depend on Me for help.  Try to view challenging days as opportunities to receive more of My Power than usual.  Look to Me for all that you need, and watch to see what I will do.  As your day, so shall your strength be.   Ephesian 1:18 - 20; Psalm 105:4; Deuteronomy 33:25 "

I needed this this morning.   This past week opportunities have arisen and my family has been tested on whether to step up and do the right thing or "not get involved."  It has been a life lesson for all of us involved and God is still working.   How encouraging this entry was to me this morning that God is and will provide just what I need on any given day. 

I am so thankful I have a God who provides for me, not only my physical needs, but also my spiritual needs in tangible ways.  Courage is doing what is right even when it is not popular.  Leaders must have the courage to take responsibility for their actions, inactions, decisions, and have a willingness to learn from past mistakes.   So, have courage to teach your children to do the right thing despite the cost, teach them this by example, but more importantly teach them that their sovereign heavenly father knows and is working on their behalf to enable them to do what is right at any given time.  

I can't wait to share this with my family later today. 

Blessings to you all. 

Diligence

Okay, this morning's lesson in our home is diligence.   When researching how best to teach diligence (in the context of keeping their room clean, getting their schoolwork done, keeping up with chores) I have discovered more heart issues that convict the teacher (me).   Normally my older two have math classes today, but I have graciously allowed them to stay home for "one more day of recovery" before our hectic crazy schedule gets underway again.  I have to say it was an easy decision as I too want one more day to catch up, one more day to "keep up" with those household tasks that always don't quite seem to get completed.  So, to start us off today at breakfast we discussed what needed to get done today, what my expectations were, and how we should develop a diligent spirit.   When possible and when I have time I always try to use God's word to bolster my points.   I came across this verse to share, "But as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you -- see that you excel in this act of grace also." (II Corinthians 8:7) ESV.  Well there is that word GRACE again.  How wonderful and how convicting to me.   I want my children to be excellent, diligent workers and I want to encourage them to this end but how to achieve that end????   It will do them no good to teach diligence unless it is tempered with grace, patience, and understanding.    I can teach them to be diligent by hounding them to get a job done, being critical if it is not "up to par", or I can walk alongside them, encourage them, show them grace by my kind words of encouragement.   I hate to say this is not my first response.  My expectations for how long something will take and how best to accomplish a task is rarely in step with my children's time frame or manner of completing a task.   So, today my prayer is that I will be gracious, sensitive and encouraging as we venture through this day, helping them to develop a joy in cleaning, doing school work, and hopefully moving forward to become diligent workers. 

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Monday, Monday

I often remember the song "Manic Monday" from when I was in high school and it seemed to fit with my circumstances all too many times.   This Monday started with a quiet house, in the dark, and leaving for work at 6:15 a.m.  It was great to get a early start, home by 8:15 to start school.  Well, that's where it all falls short of the glorious plans I had in my head at 6:00 a.m.  Nothing has seemed to move at the speed I desire and with the motivation that I expect from my children.   Laziness abounds right now and no amount of motivation or fussing seems to get thing moving.    This is were I have to find grace from my heavenly father in order to show grace to my earthly children.   How can I teach them when they are not listening, wanting their own way, thinking that they know best and are not heeding my instruction????  How too often I find myself in this same situation with my Father; too busy to take the time to listen or pray, thinking my way is best, and ultimately wanting God to answer things in the way I see fit.  This all sounds so familiar.   I am watching my children react to me just as I often times react to my heavenly father.  So, I am lifting up my eyes to my Father for help so I can show the same amount of patience and grace that He gives to me each day.  I found this commentary this morning when I was searching the fruits of the spirit, patience.  You can find this and other articles at the website below.  

In Exodus 34:6, when God passes before Moses, He preaches him a sermon on His attributes, fulfilling the proclamation of His name:

And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering [patient], and abounding in goodness and truth."

Patience is a major characteristic of our God, and that should fill us with gratitude.

God's patience delays His wrath, allowing time for good to occur.

Jonah 4:2 expresses this:

So he prayed to the Lord, and said, "Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm."

We should also note the other qualities patience is combined with in these last two references. In combination with patience, the qualities of grace, mercy, lovingkindness, goodness and truth allow God to work with people so they can remain alive and eventually transform into His image. If God struck out at people just as short-fused humans frequently do, no one would be alive today.

Read more: http://www.bibletools.org/

Wow, this is humbling.  I  have to give my children not only patience but time to allow God to work.  I love the part where it says "allow God to work with people so they can remain alive..."  I chuckled when I read this this morning.  How many times do I loose my temper quickly when my children don't respond fast enough.   God is longsuffering/patient and he combines this with grace, mercy, goodness, and truth, and is actively working to transform us into His image, both my children and myself.   I am so grateful God doesn't deal with me as I deserve but deals with me through His hands of grace and mercy.   

Sunday Update!

God has certainly shown himself today in my youngest  son John Henry.   As I mentioned earlier he was collecting as many leaves as possible to get the biggest jumping pile when God took JHs plans and used them for HIS plans.  One of our neighbors is known as the "mean lady" and our children have been told to stay off her property and avoid any conflicts with her.   Well, JH and his friend went over to her house and offered to rake her yard, front and back, if she was willing to let them haul off the leaves (not a hard decision to make in my book) and she laughed and said sure.   Well, I don't believe she thought they would actually do this, but they did.  Their job was done with excellence and not one leaf was left lying on her grass.   JH told me tonight that she came out with a smile (which none of us has ever seen), introduced them to her dog, and just couldn't stop saying how much she couldn't believe they did this for her without asking for anything in return.  Kindness, unselfish acts, giving without expecting anything in return (well just a bigger pile of leaves); these are things we as parents find easy to do, but don't come naturally to our children.   I pray this opens the door to a friendship between this neighbor and our family.   God's grace abounds!!!!

Sunday Grace

Good morning!

Today I am asking for Sunday Grace! Not like the prayer you say before your Sunday dinner after church, but grace to get through this Sunday. See, my two older children both had their wisdom teeth removed surgically on Friday. Needless to say they are not happy campers, even today. My daughter's face is twice its normal size, she can't open her mouth very well, they haven't eaten much for the past twenty four hours, and the pain medicine isn't working as we thought. I have had to show alot of grace to these two as you can imagine... In the meantime, my youngest son has decided that he has had it with the sick ones and has taken upon himself, since we can't get to church, to rake a pile of leaves as large as he can get so he and his friend can then jump in them this morning. Nevermind that we have enough leaves in our yard, he has asked the neighbors if they would like their leaves raked as well. Now, in theory this is a selfless act of kidness as he is not charging any money, a good deed?, perhaps in some circumstances, yes, but for my boy, he has decided to bring everyone else's leaves to my house to increase his jumping pile.

Please Lord, give me grace as I move through this day......my spirit can be less than gracious at times.

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (NIV)

I find encouragement in this verse. Dear Lord, please provide "grace" to me today, that I can show to my children as I care for them that they may see a glimpse of YOU!